The Quistis Files: The Ball
by Tricia
Summary: Im making a little mini series where Quistis gets into all the action...
1. The Ball

  
  
Squall groaned as Cid told them of the ball that was to be held in their honor.  
Great... he thought, his mood souring further. He didn't expect anyone to look up to him as everyone seemed to have been doing during his time at the Academy, and he didn't enjoy the extra attention. He saluted the headmaster as he leaned closer and whispered to him.  
  
"Finally, a gunblade specialist."  
  
It's nothing special. Just my weapon of choice. Seifer is just as good as me, despite his... attitude. Squall watched as the other students filed out of the office and chose to stay behind, if only to get out of riding the overcrowded elevator with the over-enthusiastic students. He approached the headmaster and coughed to get his attention as he conversed with the ever-present garden officials. Cid looked up and smiled, grinning broadly through his wrinkled face.  
  
"Ah, Squall. I have something for you," he dug into the pockets of his pants and brought out a small black object that resembled a small computer, "Its called a Battle Meter. It's a very useful source of information related to battles and different problems you may encounter on your journey."  
  
He handed it to Squall, who accepted it and bowed slightly, without comment. The elevator rung behind him, and he gratefully excepted the excuse to leave.  
  
He caught up with the others at the hallway entrance to the classrooms and was surprised to see the disciplinary committee along with some of the other students who failed to pass the test waiting for them. Siefer started appluasing, and soon everyone had joined in.  
  
Squall scratched his head, and headed towards his class, leaving a bashful Zell and an excited Selphie behind, along with the other shy student he couldn't remember the name of. Instructor Quistis looked up as he walked in, a smile beaming through her face.   
  
"Congratulations Squall. I knew you would become a SeeD."  
  
She motioned for him to come in from the doorway, and Squall complied hesitantly. He walked up and slipped the battle meter into his pocket unceromoniusly before she could ask about it.  
  
"Um... Headmaster Cid didn't mention what time the Ball starts..."  
  
He started, carefully keeping a bland look on his face. Quistis smiled and pushed a small yellow piece of paper to him, that had the time and days of several events listed on it.  
  
"1900 hours, sharp. Don't be late. You might miss some of the ladies."   
  
She smiled as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet, looking down at his boots and not commenting. She nudged him towards the door, smiling playfully.  
  
"Get going. You need to change into your uniform before the ball."  
  
Squall nodded and left quickly, walking past Siefer and his gang before they could say anything and pushed the button for the elevator to the first floor.  
  
Squall walked up the hall towards his room, his thoughts on the dreadful upcoming ball and was soured even more to see Selphie waiting for him in his room.  
  
"Hey Squall? How do I look?"   
  
She twirled around in her new tailored SeeD outfit, prancing like the over-enthusiastic kid she was, grinning the whole time.  
  
Squall entered his room without comment and quickly changed into his clothes, returning to where Selphie waited.  
  
"Ooh, you look pretty dashing in that outfit. Now come on, lets paaaartay!"  
  
Squall leaned against the wall and accepted a glass of champaigne from a passing waitress, and watched the dancers twirling by him. After a short time of peacefull quiet, Selphie ran over, smiling excitedly.   
  
"Hey, Squall! Could you do me a big favor and join the Garden Festival Comitee? I mean, I know we're going to be doing big SeeD stuff, but we could work on it in between."  
  
He looked at her closely, and saw that she was very serious about putting on the party, so he nodded his head.  
  
"Yes. I see that you are very serious about the festival."  
  
She jump up and twirled around excitedly, beaming.  
  
"Thanks Squall! Got's to go!"  
  
No sooner had she bounced off did Zell walk over, pausing frequently to punch at the air.  
  
"Hey Squall, put it there."  
  
Squall looked at his outstrecthed hand and made no movement, then took a sip out of his glass.  
Zell got the idea and withdrew his hand, scratching the side of his head.  
  
"Great party, huh."   
  
He said, trying to get a reaction out of Squall. Squall continued to ignore the enthusiastic blonde, and stared ahead at the dancers.  
  
"Well, I have to go. They brought out the hotdogs!"  
  
He ran off, periodically flipping or punching. Squall shook his head, then looked at the sky as a sparkle caught his eye. A shooting star passed, and he saw a young lady point at it as she watched it with him. Her long dark brown hair shook slightly as she walked towards him, smiling.   
  
"Hey, you're the best looking guy here. Im Rinoa."  
  
She said, smiling. Squall blushed a little, and was immediatly annoyed with himself. She didnt give up though, and continued standing in front of him. She was pretty, but he had a reputation to keep up.  
  
"Would you like to dance?"  
  
She asked, motioning to the dance floor, where the dancers had stopped momentarily to wait for the orchestra to start their next song.  
  
"Oh, I get it. You'll only dance with someone you like. Ok, you're going to like me, you're going to like me..."  
  
She made circling motions with her hands in front of his face as if casting a spell, smiling to him the whole time. Squall felt himself blushing further and shook his head.  
  
"I cant dance."  
  
He said bluntly, hoping she wouldnt leave him right there and then. She laughed, a soft sound like the whispering wind, and was soon bent over, clutching her stomach.  
  
"Come on. Just do what I do. I'll lead."  
  
She grabbed his hand and pulled them out onto the dance floor, where the orchestra started playing "Walz of the Moon." She put her hand in his and his other hand around her waist, then began the waltz, sidestepping, and Squall tried to mimick her, and managed only to step on her velvet shoes instead. Still, she just smiled and motioned for him to continue. Clumsily, he tried to remember the last time Quistis had convinced him to dance with her, and managed only to bring himself and Rinoa to go crashing into another couple, and recieved dirty looks from the pair.  
  
"Dont worry... you can do it."  
  
She whispered as the music swung into a full waltz. Finally, they began to dance, Squall mastering the steps correctly, keeping his attention on Rinoa's beautiful face. Just as the music concluded, fireworks went off above them, and they stopped near eachother to look up at the display. Suddenly Rinoa saw something over his shoulder, and reluctantly walked away from him towards the headmaster, motioning for him to stay there. Squall looked after her, trying not to let his emotions reach his expression as dissepointment welled up from inside him.  
  
He walked to the balcony, away from the party, and heard the click of boot heels behind him.   
  
"Yes?"  
  
He heard instructor Quistis sigh, and walk closer.  
  
"So, my best student is also an excellent dancer."  
  
Squall said nothing, and continued staring at the gardens below the balcony.  
  
"So you'll dance with a perfect stranger and you wont dance with me?"  
  
She asked, a hint of.. some emotion he couldnt identify behind it. He turned around and looked at her, dressed up in a silken blue dress. She looked, he realized, beautiful when she wasnt wearing her uniform.  
  
"I've danced with you before, instructor. Besides, its not proper to dance with one's teacher."  
  
He said, keeping all emotions from his face. Quistis frowned, sadness suddenly replacing the wry smile she had.   
  
"Im not your teacher anymore. Now come on, lets dance."  
  
She grabbed his arm and pulled him back onto the dance floor. He futilely tried to excuse himself, saying that the first dance had worn him out, but she insisted. Soon they were in full swing, matching the rythm of the other dancers perfectly. Squall looked around for Rinoa as they danced, and realized that it didnt matter. He looked back at Quistis, in her blonde splendor, her hair let loose to fly down her shoulders and back.   
  
Soon the dance came to a close, and Squall excused himself before Quistis could notice how much he had enjoyed dancing with her or the red tone of his face.  
  
It doesnt matter if I like her or not. She's still my teacher. Besides, Im a SeeD now, I cant worry about that right now....  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Before Timber

Squall watched as Selphie ran to the elevator, pausing intermediately to perform a bouncy twirl. She beamed as she pressed the button and winked at Squall just before the doors closed. He sighed, and shook his head slightly.  
  
I hope she realizes how hard it will be being a SeeD… she has to realize that her childish-ness will not be so readily accepted on the field as it is here…  
  
Headmaster Cid cleared his throat, and Squall snapped back to attention. Cid shuffled through his papers, studied one for a moment, then began speaking again.  
  
"So you understand your current mission?" Cid asked, a twinkle in his eye. Squall nodded, and Cid handed him the papers. Squall studied them for a moment; most were geological mappings of Timber and the surrounding lands, with a few more detailing their mission and its importance to the Garden.He noticed that they were using the SeeD's reserved suite for the train ride to timber, and allowed himself a small smile.  
  
Selphie's gonna be really happy about this… hopefully she wont get too excited though…  
  
"I understand, sir." Squall said, then saluted respectfully. Cid looked at him in amusement for a moment, then his face returned to its normal cross between aged merryment and serious stern-ness.  
  
"Good. You leave tommorow morning, 0600 sharp." Cid nodded, and Squall took his cue and left. He walked down the long cooridoors, meaning to head to his room to pack, but paused at the entrance to the cafeteria as distressed words came to him.  
  
"Come on, there's gotta be some hotdogs left! Look, I'll pay ya double if ya make me a hotdog, just one, please?"   
  
Squall chuckled quietly and moved on. It was Zell of course. Chicken-wuss Zell, as Seifer called him. Everytime he went to the cafeteria to eat, Zell was there arguing over the famed Balamb Garden hotdogs.  
  
Whoa… Im nice and cheerie today. I usually don't let my emotions get to me like this… ever since last night…  
  
Squall remembered his dance with Instructor Trepe the night before. She had been dressed in a beautiful evening gown, her blonde hair down, flowing down her back. He remembered the black haired girl he had danced with as well… she had been beautiful as well, and with a personality that touched you at the soul, but everytime he thought about the ball, his thoughts returned to Quistis. He felt a…need, a desire that he had never felt before. For some reason, he wanted to experience that night all over again, if only to have a chance to dance with Quistis again.  
  
What am I thinking? This is the instructor, not some pretty girl at a ball that you'll never see again, Squall. He mentally chidded himself at his foolishness and promised himself to keep out of Quistis' way until after his first SeeD mission. Just as he finished this thought, he almost bawled her over as Quistis turned the corner from the dormitories. The papers she had been carrying spilled to the floor, and Squall immediately kneeled down and began scooping them up, his face a careful mask of indignance.  
  
"Sorry." He said simply, handing her the newly out-of-order papers. She took them and smiled warmly, making Squall flinch noticeably.  
  
"Its okay. I should have seen you coming. So what's your first SeeD assignment like?" She brushed her long bangs back behind her ears, and Squall noticed how gracefully she performed the motion, like a painter at his art….  
  
Focus! This is your instructor and she just asked you a question!  
  
"Selphie Tilmett, Zell Dnicht and I are to take the next train to Timber, where we will work with a small resistance group called the "Timber Owls" do whatever they can to bring liberation and freedome to the people of Timber." He finished, remembering the contract that Cid had sent to the leader of the group.  
Quistis covered her smile and managed not to laugh at his serious, though she should be accustomed to it by now.  
  
"Well, I wish you luck, Squall." She said, saluting him. Squall groaned and grabbed her hand before she could finish the gesture.  
  
"As my Instructor, and being above the rank of myself, you should not be expected to salute me."  
He said, his face even more serious and furrowed then it usually was. Quistis withdrew her hands quickly, and frowned. She had come to her decision.  
  
"Im not higher rank than you, Squall. Would you meet me at the training center tonight?" She watched as a flicker of emotions crossed his face, and he nodded, his face now its careful mask again.  
  
"As you wish, instructor. Now if you will excuse me…?" she nodded, and Squall went back to his room, greatful for the excuse to return to his room where he could think properly, away from those people which caused his confusing emotions. He layed down on his head and closed his eyes, thankful for the moment of peace he got.  
  
Meet her tonight? Why would she want me to meet her? And what was she talking about, saying that she wasn't higher rank then me? Of course she's higher rank. She is a SeeD as well as an instructor and outranks me by three levels, even without her instructor license. Perhaps I will run into that brown haired girl from the dance…  
  
A knock at the door brought him from his thoughts, and Squall reluctantly got to his feet. He could hear the shuffling of small feet as the visiter waited impatiently outside.  
  
"Come in." Squall called, and the door opened a crack to reveal Selphie's smiling face. She looked around conspiratorally before opening the door fully and walking in. She looked around his room for a moment before talking excitedly.  
  
"Hey Squall… great room. Whats up with the lion thingy?" She pointed to where he had propped his poster Greiver's symbol onto an eisel. He crossed over to the case where he stored his gunblade when not using it and brought it out, showing her the same symbol sketched into his sword. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her grin broadened.  
  
"Cool! I always wanted to see a gunblade up close! They're sooo cool! So whats the lion from? Is it some kind of gf or something?" She bounced excitedly and seated herself on his bed without asking. Squall groaned and sat on a chair across from her.  
  
"The ancient Shumi tribe worshiped, Griever, believing that he was the bringer of thunder and earthquakes. The Shumi tribe was widespread before, and left artifacts of their religion behind. This symbol was found on most artifacts, and the tale of the Griever has been retold for thousands of generations. Most people now believe that Griever was a an outcast guardian force, like Odin and Bahamut*, and that he took his anger out on the world by bringing lightening and thunder, as well as tearing at the earth when his anger boiled to a rage." Squall paused for a second, letting this sink into the small girls mind. She fidgeted uncomfortably on the bed, her face creased into a frown, a foreign look to the petite girls face.  
  
"Earthquakes, huh?" She asked, her voice slightly quavering. "So, what else is there to the story?"  
  
"Eventually, the Shumi gave up their worship of Griever and turned to more evolutionized civilization. Technology had begun to grow, and as the tribe slowly recognized the wheels of evolution turning without them, they gave up their primitive way and tore down the temples built in Greiver's honor. Armed with the new technology, they migrated across the seas and settled just a few miles from where Trabia Garden is today. They built a massive city, and Shumi tribesmen traveled from around the world to settle down in the new city. But the Shumi had angered their god, and Greiver created a massive earthquake that swallowed the whole city, killing the thousands of tribesmen that lived there. So, as if in answer to the fright and pain they received from the gods anger, they eventually evolutionized to a point where they changed into feline creatures, called moogles, near the end of their life. This was considered the greatest honor, since they considered being of a feline nature was being closer to ther lion god."   
  
Squall came to the end of his story, and he and Selphie sat there in silence for a moment. Squall glanced at his watch, and was shocked to see that it was already 2100.   
  
"Wow. I never knew that… it explains why death valley is so creepy. I mean, at Trabia Garden, we would all go there and camp overnight as an act of braveness to show off to our friends. And ya know, I heard that no one could cross over the valley… they tried to make a bridge once, but it kept breaking. Gosh! Look at the time! I gotta go! Sorry Squall… really cool story though. Remember to go see Xu sometime.. bye byes!"   
  
Selphie suddenly lost her serious attitude and beamed again, performing a little twirl before waving a pouncing out of the room. Squall sighed and returned his gunblade to its case.   
  
Well, at least she listened. Maybe it'll teach her to take history more seriously… Quistis was saying something about that yesterday.. I don't know why she told me…Quistis! She asked me to meet her tonight! Well, I supposed I should go and get this over with.  
  
Squall grabbed his gunblade and left his room, jogging down the hallways to the training area, and slowed as he saw Quistis leaning on the wall just outside the entrance. She looked up and smiled as he approached, and Squall noted that she too carried her weapon of choice. Her whip was hooked to its usual spot on her belt, blending perfectly with the rest of her battle garb.  
  
"Come on… let's go to the 'secret spot'." She walked through the entrance of the training area, and Squall reluctantly followed, scorning at the thought of the 'secret spot' where naïve couples went after curfew. As Quisis continually scanned the area they were walking through for monsters, Squall voiced his thought.  
  
"We're not going to discipline the teenagers there, are we?" he asked, his voice full of distaste. She glanced at him, her amused look quickly dissolving.  
  
"No. I want.. I need to talk to you about something." She said, then quickly moved ahead to fight an approaching gnat. Squall joined her, and after a couple smacks of her whip and slashed from his sword, the gnat fell to the ground lifeless, then dissolved back into the earth. They walked on in silence until they reached the entrance, where Quistis paused for a moment.  
  
"You've improved, Squall. Now come on, lets go." She entered the room, where upon sight of her, most of the teenagers scattered, pushing past Squall as they ran away from the instructor, leaving the room almost empty. Quistis chuckled in amusement, then sobered and walked over to the balcony, where Squall reluctantly joined her. They both stood in silence, and Quistis sighed as the midnight curfew bells rang. Squall watched her for a moment, wondering what was wrong, then looked away. She sighed again, and finally spoke.  
  
"As of today, I am no longer an instructor at this garden." Her voice was sad and wistful, and Squall looked at her, a confused look on his face.  
  
"They are transferring you to another garden?" He asked, keeping the emotions from leaking into his voice. Deep inside, he felt dissepointment at the thought of Quistis leaving the garden, although he would never tell her that.  
  
"No. They took away my license. They said that I lacked the experience and devotion it took to be a good teacher." She looked away, hiding her shamed look. Squall nodded, keeping his shocked emotions in check.  
  
"So you are just a SeeD now. You were a good teacher, Quistis. Im sure that Cid will realize how big a mistake he made by demoting you and return your license soon." It was Squall's turn to turn away, hiding the rising heat in his cheeks as he realized that he had just let his emotions out too much again. Quistis looked at him for a moment, a look of amazement on her face before she nodded.  
  
"Thanks. I think we'd better get back now, or we'll both be in trouble." Squall nodded, and they heading back to the main entrance of the training area just in time to see a young brown haired girl being attacked by monsters. The monsters hovered in front of her, and she scuttled back into a corner, her eyes wide with fear and darting around the room, looking for some escape when she noticed Squall and Quistis approach.  
  
"Help! Please help me!" She cried. Squall looked at Quistis, and she nodded. They drew their weapons and stepped forward, engaging in a long a grueling battle with the three insects. Between Shiva and Quezocotl, which he had lent to Quistis beforehand, and the help of his newly earned gf Ifrit, the battle quickly ended. Squall watched as two white clad men came forward and helped the girl to her feet, scolding her for traveling alone. She thanked them and was escorted out of the training center before Squall or Quistis could get a word in edge wise.  
  
"Weird. I wonder who they were? Well, thank you for meeting me here tonight. It was nice to finally get to talk to you… even if it was about something so depressing.. anyway, good luck on your next mission. I have to go to see headmaster Cid. Im to be debriefed on my new mission. Have a nice night." Quistis left the training center with a click of her heels, and Squall waited until she was well away before heading back to his room. Inside, he laid down on his bed and thought back to the night of the ball./h4  
  
I wonder who that girl was… maybe I'll run into her again sometime. It was a nice change to meet someone who wasn't worried about rank or status, or even names for once. Everyone here is so determined to change me, but the dark haired girl… she's a different matter completely. Maybe after I figure out my emotions about Quistis, I'll see if I can find out who she is…  
  
Authors Note: Hope ya liked. I always wondered whether Griever was a gf or not, so I thought up this little story about where he could have come from. :D  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Sleeping Beauty

The Quistis Files:Part 3   
"Sleeping Beauty"  
  
Quistis stared at the pile of student papers and reports on her desk disdainfully, a scorn replacing the usual calm look on her face. Ever since Squall, Selphie and Zell had gone on their first official SeeD mission, she just couldnt seem to focus on her duties as an Instructor at the Garden.  
  
_I've got to stop thinking about him! Focus, Quistis.Just becuase you've lost your job as an Instructor doesnt mean that you are useless. Besides, you have to get these papers done. Get your head out of the clouds and focus on your work._  
  
A knock on the door to her office brought her out of her inner-monolouge, and she called for the person to come in. Xu entered, holding a stack of papers to her neatly pressed uniform. She neatly laid the pile next to the already waiting pile Quistis had scattered about her desk.  
  
"Quistis... Headmaster Cid sent these. Their reports and background information on the new students coming in next week. I know your not an instructor anymore, but... well..." Xu trailed off, standing in front of Quistis' cluttered desk. Quistis made a randome gesture with her hand as she continued to stare blankly at whatever paper it was she was holding in her hand. Xu studied her quietly for a moment, then spoke softly.  
  
"Whats wrong Quistis? You've seemed so...detached ever since you got demoted. Are you allright?" Quistis gathered up the papers into a neat pile, then began shuffling through them.  
  
"I'm fine, Xu. A few of my students got promoted to SeeD status recently and are on their first mission.. I guess Im just worried about them.. and with these new students coming in..." Quistis sighed softly at the thought of only seeing Squall once or twice in the halls now that he had become a SeeD. She had known that it would happen someday, but she had rather hoped that it would be Seifer that beat him to it. It would be nice to see Squall without a frown on his face for once.  
  
"Well, I certainly know how that can feel. Dont feel bad about becoming a SeeD again.. you know that you're going to enjoy it.. I wish Cid would demote me... all that paperwork.. well, lets just say that you got lucky. Now get some rest and dont worry youself too much. They'll be fine. You'll see." Xu smiled encouragingly and walked out of the room, leaving Quistis in silence with her humongous stack of papers.  
  
_I hope your right Xu... I hope your right..._  
  
_**Outside Timber...**_  
  
"You just had to train first, didnt you? Sheesh!" Selphie swung her ninchaku at the grat angrily, then jumped out of the way as the monster retaliated and swung its long tentacles at her. Zell, angry at being the cause of this commotion, began his limit break, and dealt a five blow combo before his steam ran off. The grat slumped over to the ground and dissolved.  
  
"Come on. We have to meet the Timber Owls." Squall sheathed his gunblade and walked towards the entrance of the small town, leaving the panting Zell and Selphie behind.  
  
"Hey, wait up man!" Zell waved crazily with his gloved hands and ran to catch up, with Selphie bouncing closely behind him. Soon after he entered the town, Squall noticed a tall thin man walking in circles nervously, periodically clearing his throat.  
  
_That must be our contact.. what have you gotten us into Headmaster? A small, unorganized resistance group led by a bunch of teenagers? Great..._  
  
The thin boy jumped as Squall approached, and cleared his throat nervously.  
  
"Boy, the wolfs in Timber*sure are loud this time of year." Squall nodded to himself. This was a way of contact that the Headmaster and the leader of the group had agreed on. Becuase of the invasion of the Galbadian forces, even the resistance groups had to step up their security a notch.  
  
"The forrest owls are rather loud as well." The man nodded silently and led them back towards the train station. A badly painted blue train was at the end of the tracks, and he motioned them inside.  
  
Squall looked around the train as he stepped through the squeaking door. Several magazines lay scattered around the floor, and it seemed that there were only a few rooms on the train.  
  
_This little group of inxeperienced teenagers expect to be able to liberate this town from Galbadia simply with three new SeeD members? Even we are not that powerful.._  
  
Another shorter man walked out of what seemed to be a meeting room and looked at the three new arrivals nervously for a moment, while the thin man went and squatted in a corner, clucthing his stomach in pain or queeziness.  
  
"Oh, you must be the SeeD we hired to help us. Im so glad you're finally here! You'd better go talk to the Princess. She should be in her cabin. All the way to the back. Just ask the guys in the second room if you get lost." He smiled encouragingly and motioned towards the back of the train, then walked over to talk to his nervous companion.  
  
_Get lost on a train..? I hope their leader isnt as naive as them.._ Squall led the way to the cabin, pausing only momentarily to study a poster on the wall explaining the atrocities of the Galbadian President. He entered the room without knocking, surveying it quickly. It was plushly decorated, with a silver mirror hanging on the wall next to a fancily decorated bed and curtains. A bed on which a young woman now slept, unaware of Squall's presence.  
  
_It's her... the girl from the dance.. could she be the leader of the Forrest Owls?_   
  
Suddenly the dark haired girl yawned sleepily and sat up in her bed, blinking open her large brown eyes. She stared at him for a moment, then stood up and corrected herself.  
  
"Hey... you're that guy from the dance.... what are you doing here?" She looked at him curisously, and Squall quietly supressed the rising heat in his cheeks. He remembered Quistis looking at him like that many times in class... it drove him crazy! He shook his head to remind himself of his duty, and brought out the contract from the pocket of his pants.  
  
"You recently contacted Headmaster Cid to hire SeeDs for this mission. SeeD Tilmitt and Dnicht are with me to assist you in any way we can to liberate Timber."  
  
"Yes! I knew Cid would help us! I guess Seifer was right about him." Rinoa threw his arms around him, and he stood still, his face a mask over his awkwardly reacting emotions.   
  
_Seifer? What does she know about Seifer? Why does he have to be brought into this...?_  
  
Rinoa looked around the room, and at Selphie and Zell who had finally come in, looking at Squall and Rinoa in their awkward embrace, and amused look on their faces.  
  
"Is Seifer with you?" Squall shook his head, and she looked down for a moment, a look of almost sadness crossing her round face. He broke away from her embrace and moved back to join his companions, who both burst into quiet chuckles at the pink tinge to his face.  
  
"Oh." She said simply, crossing her arms and tapping her foot for a second. She then nodded to herself, as if coming to a desicion, and walked towards the door to her room.  
  
"Well, we'd better get started.. we found out the perfect plan to kidnap the President...."  



	4. Detention

Quistis watched as the students milled around her, occasionally giving her odd glances when they thought she wasnt looking as she walked by. This was one of the fallbacks of being demoted to SeeD class. The Trepie group had fallen to shambles as they heard the news and had immediately set about rallying and protesting to Headmaster Cid despite protests from Quistis herself.  
  
This wouldnt be so bad if everyone would stop acting like Im some clown, trying to give me sympathy as if I went from royalty to peasantry. I tried my best...  
  
Quistis angrily shook her head at nobody and hurried to the elevator. She pressed the button for the third floor, and stood impatiently, tapping her foot as the elevator door slowly open. Even more annoyed than before, she angrily stomped into the elevator, and slammed her fingers onto the buttons for up. As she waited for the maniacal machine to start working, the sounds of shouting drifted through the open doors.  
  
What could be going on out there? As the shouting became louder and closer, she drew her whip and stepped off of the elevator, all of her earlier anger vanished. She could see three people running up the hall from the library area, followed closely by one of the school attendants that normally watched the students in detention.br  
  
What the? Students running away from their detention? Just as she stepped forward to assist the teacher, the students came clearly into view. Seifer, Fujinn, and Rajinn, all of them heading for the front gate in a hurry.  
  
What are they up to today? Quistis hurried down the stairs, the agitating elevator forgotten, and stood in front of the directory.  
  
"Seifer! Where do you think you're going?" Seifer slid to a stop almost directly in front of him, and the rest of his posse barely managed to avoid colliding with him.  
  
"To Timber to make sure Squall finishes his job." Seifer started to move past her, but she grabbed his arm and held it firmly.  
  
"What do you mean make sure Squall does his job? He is a qualified SeeD unlike you and you have no authority to leave the Garden." He twisted out of her grip and began heading towards the front gate, his posse following behind him.  
  
What the hell is he thinking? Squall's current mission is to aid the Timber Owls in any way he can to liberate Timber from the rule of Galbadia... what the does Seifer think he can do? Squall will finish the job surely and safely by himself. He doesnt need any help beyond his two companions... Seifer is definately up to something... Perhaps I'd better find out.  
  
"Try to stop me." Her temper rising again, Quistis gave a sympathetic glace to the teacher and ran to catch up with Seifer and his gang.  
  
"Try to stop me from going with you." Quistis said in a cool icy tone. Seifer eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then nodded.  
  
"Okay, Instructor. To Timber."br  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Interlude

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or storyline from FF8, yatta yatta, ff8 belongs solely to Squaresoft, blah blah, I don't make any profit off this, etc etc etc.   
  
Quistis leaned against the cushions of her seat, staring glumly at Seifer as he slept on the couch opposite of her. They had managed to snatch an id card from a bewildered and confused passenger and had easily slipped through the crowd to their new room, and Seifer had immediately claimed the larger and more comfortable couch for himself. Quistis sighed, then laid down on her "bed", her feet stretching over the end of the couch despite her shorter height.  
  
He never learns… I should have known that Seifer would act this way. Even with the importance of this so called mission, his ego will never drain… Im surprised that Fujinn hasn't taking to kicking him in the shins as well as Rajinn…  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when her phs suddenly rang, and she quickly dug it out of her small duffle bag and pressed the talk button.  
  
"Quistis speaking." She said quickly, trying to keep her voice low enough not to wake Seifer up. She glanced at him nervously, but he simply moaned in his sleep and turned onto his other side.  
  
"May I ask where you are, Miss. Trepe?" Cid's normally gentle voice had a rare tone of authority to it, and Quistis gulped silently. She knew what that tone meant. She was in big trouble this time.  
  
"Seifer Almasy escaped detention yesterday, sir. He had been assigned to a four hour detention because of certain actions he had performed previously, and I happened to be near the front gate as he was leaving to take a school car."  
  
Quistis drew a long breath and waited for Cid's answer, thinking of how he had been speaking to her just days ago of sending her off to Esthar as an envoy.  
  
Oh yeah, he's really going to trust you to do that now…  
  
"I am very aware of his actions, Miss. Trepe, and I intend to punish him for them once he returns, but it was not your duty to accompany him on this mad mission of his." Cid grew quiet for a moment, then continued on in a softer tone.   
  
"However, I am aware of your considerable skills as a SeeD and so I am going to officially apoint you and Seifer on watchout at Timber. I am sure that you are aware that I have already sent a team of your former students there to aid a resistance group, and I want you to make sure that Seifer doesn't have a chance to interfere with them. Is that clear, Miss. Trepe?"   
  
"Very clear sir. Thank you sir. I will do my best." She cut off the connection and sighed, staring with doubled anger at the young man sleeping on the couch.   
  
You just had to come on this suicide mission, didn't you. I have to go find Rinoa, you say. So you go and chase after some pretty girl and risk both of our lives in the process. Squall wouldn't do anything that stupid…  
  
Suddenly the train came to a stop, jolting Seifer out of his peaceful sleep. He sat up on the couch, rubbing the back of his neck with a gloved hand.  
  
"Here already?" Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and headed to the door, slipping the card in the slot and leaving without giving Quistis even a backward glance.  
  
"Typical." She said to herself, then grabbed their bags and headed out after him. She caught up with him just as he was stepping off the train, and she soon found herself looking around at the small town of Timber. Seifer stood off to one side, talking to one of the locals, and Quistis waited, dropping their luggage to the ground. Finally he turned back and turned his attention to her, if barely.  
  
"Looks like the Galbadian president is making a broadcast over the cable lines from the old tv station here… that's probably where they'll be heading. Come on, I know the way."  
  
And I can just guess who they are. Quistis shook her head before she could start thinking too hard and hefted the bags into her arms again. She followed Seifer as he jogged through the small town, and through a small tavern. They headed towards a back entrance just in time to see a bum who had been sitting there get up and stalk away, mumbling something about a lost card. Seifer threw a grin at her and went into the back ally, stopping momentarily to look up at the looming tv station.   
  
"Well, there's our next stop, Instructor Trepe…"  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Squall groaned as Rinoa and Zell tried for the fifteenth time to get the drunken old bum out of the way. He had been stubbornly sitting in front of the back exit doorway for the last twenty minutes and Squall's patience was slowly running thin.   
  
"Look, we have to get through this door. Its very important." Squall said harshly to the man. Rinoa looked at him with a mixed look of terror and shock, and cleared her throat.   
  
"Hold on a minute. I'll be right back." She walked quickly to the front of the tavern and was out the door before Squall could say anything. He glared at her retreating back for a moment, then turned back to the drunk, who had slumped against the door, gawking at a hand of cards.  
  
"Where's ma card? Someone took ma darn card again… wath it you, mista?" The drunkard slurred his words and continued to garble on for a few more minutes. Squall was saved when Rinoa came back into the room, beaming.  
  
"Look! Here's your card mister." She passed him a blue card, and the man looked at it in shock. Slowly he smiled, then stood up shakily.  
  
"Why shank you… why don't ya keep it? And join me for some…" the drunk's voice trailed off as he staggered a couple of steps away from the door and passed out, dropping the card onto the floor in front of Squall's feet. Zell jumped forward and grabbed it, then stuffed it into a pocket.  
  
"Come on. We have to reach the tv station in time to stop the announcement."  
  
Squall led the way, walking quickly through the small trash littered ally. He squinted through the sunlight at the large station building, then quickened his pace to a run. Soon they came to stop in front of a large screen built into the wall of the building and stood gasping for breath. Suddenly the screen crackled and fizzed, then came to life. A picture of a diplomatic looking room with a podium at the center came on screen, surrounded by microphones of various kinds.  
  
"Uh-oh guys…" Selphie trailed off and stared at the screen while a thin nervous looking man had stepped up behind the podium.  
  
"People of the world, may I present to you, President Deling of Galbadia." He stepped off screen and fake appluase was omitted as the president walked on screen.  
  
"I am here today to announce a new plan for this country. A plan for peace and prosperity for all, not just the rich and noble. I have forged a new ally today, with the sorceress Edea, a bringer of peace…"  
  
Suddenly the picture swerved to the side as if the camera had been knocked over, and Seifer and Quistis rushed in, weapons pointed at the president. Quistis looked nervously at the screen, one eye still on Deling.  
  
"SeeD team, if your watching this, get over here now!"  
  
Squall and the others took their cue, running the rest of the way to the building and passing through the small storage room to where Quistis and Seifer stood at a standoff with the president.  
  
"Don't make a move Deling." Seifer said threateningly, the tip of his gunblade held close to Deling's throat.  
Deling looked past them at the storage room, then returned his attention to the threat to his life.  
  
"What are you doing her Seifer? Shouldn't you be back at Garden in detention?" Zell blurted out all of a sudden, his hatred towards the other student obvious. Quistis groaned loudly, and Seifer snickered out of habit.  
  
"You idiot!" He growled, pointing his gunblade closer into the presidents throat. The light of recognition began to glow in his eyes, and president Deling smiled viciously.  
  
"Well now, you must be SeeDs then. Let me go or I'll destroy all of the SeeD gardens."  
  
They all looked at each other questioningly, and Zell mentally smacked himself, kicking his foot in anger at the ground.   
  
"Go on then. Get out of here." Seifer said, glaring at Zell, pure hatred showing on his face. Squall and the others stepped back, and Seifer resheathed his gunblade. The President smiled brightly, then casually strolled by them. A portal appeared In the other room, and a middle aged woman, dressed elaborately stepped through.  
  
"Ah, Edea, how nice of you to come. Take care of them, will you?" Quistis had followed him to the room, but Seifer had gotten there before her. The woman looked at Quistis sharlpy, and she suddenly felt death and blind, falling to her knees. Seifer brought out his gunblade, bringing it around to the woman's neck, just a centimeter away.  
  
"Oh, it's the little warrior. Such fine disclipline.. such skill. But you arent recognized for that skill, are you? Why don't you come with me, warrior? You can be my knight. I will appreciate you. I will make your dreams come true."  
  
She smiled at him seductavely, and he faltered, lowering his gunblade an inch, his face full of confusion.  
  
"How?" he asked plaintively, looking questioningly at the magic portal behind her. Her smile became broader and more feral.  
  
"Come with me, my knight…" She turned and walked through the portal, with Seifer close behind, mesmorized. The portal closed behind them, and Quistis slowly brought herself to her feet, her vision and hearing clearing. She felt an arm on her shoulder and gasped, and turned quickly. Squall stood behind her, watching her with a rare expression of concern.  
  
"Are you okay?" His voice was full of unusually seen concern, and Quistis stared in awe a minute before answering shakily.  
  
"Im okay.. that woman… she was a sorceress… now both her, the president, and Seifer are gone."  
She looked at the spot where the portal had been, then shook her head angrily at letting a student dissepear.  
IWhere is he? Was he kidnapped? Or did he go willingly with them?/I Squall looked past her for a moment, then turned his attention back to her.  
  
"Im sure he'll be fine. Right now we have to worry about the mission at hand. By the way Instructor, what are you doing here? I thought you werent to be assigned a mission until next week."  
  
Zell and Rinoa appeared behind Squall, breathless. Quistis looked past them to see that they had barricaded the door after fighting off seevral Galbadian guards.  
  
"Um guys, I don't think that's important right now…" Zell looked back at the door nervously, then began heading out of the opposite entrance, Rinoa close on his heels.   
  
"Are you sure your allright?" Squall asked, studying her face carefully. Quistis laughed lightly, surprised by Squall's sudden change in attitude.  
  
"Im fine. But it looks like I'll be traveling with you guys for a while…."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Memories

The Quistis Files: Part 6  
"Memories"  
  
Authors note: Stuff following --- Is a person remembering something (hence the title "Memories") And "* is someone singing. So read and review thanks!  
  
Squall stood near the back of the train, watching Rinoa from the corner of his eye as she paced the hall of the train, her impatience clearly present.   
  
"*Train, train, take us away… take us away to another day…*" Selphie's high soprano voice drifted down the hall, and Squall took a step back as he realized that he recognized the song.  
  
--- "*Train, train, take us away, take us away to another day…*" someone sang softly, a sweet tenor voice. A young girl squealed in delight, then began singing with the first voice. When the voices stopped singing, clapping erupted and cheers were abound.  
  
"Very good Selphie!" The tenor voice said, sheer pride coloring its tone.   
  
"I wanna learn!" Another voice said, more dignified sounding, though the speaker sounded very young for the authority it was trying to force into its voice.   
  
"Why don't you teach Quistis the song while I go check on Squall?"---  
  
"… you allright?" Rinoa was asking. Squall looked up, startled, and took a step back as he realized that Rinoa was standing right in front of him. He nodded slightly, then frowned.  
  
What the..? What was that about… Selphie was singing and it sounded familiar… and then I was suddenly remembering someone singing that same song, and Selphie singing along with it as a chid… what?? I don't get it. Why am I remembering these things?   
  
"Oh no… he's off in his little world again." Rinoa commented to Quistis, who chuckled softly. Squall looked up sharply at the girls, then shook his head angrily and walked to stand over near the door. The laughing stopped abrubtly, and he heard Rinoa move closer to him, then put her hand lightly on his shoulder.  
  
"Whats wrong?" She asked, genuine concern coloring her voice. Squall shrugged off her touch, then turned to face them.  
  
"Nothing." Both Squall and Quistis said at the same moment. Squall shot Quistis a glare as she doubled over in laughter, followed momentarily by Rinoa.  
  
"Heyyy! We're here!" Selphie said, bouncing merrily into the cabin with Squall, Rinoa and Quistis. Zell flipped his way into the room, punching the air enthusiastically as he waited for the door to open and let them off at East Academy station. As the door opened and they stepped off, he looked around, then gasped loudly.  
  
"What? No fireworks for the great SeeD?" Zell asked no one in particular. Suddenly another flashback started, and Squall found himself looking at a group of kids sitting in a circle out on a beach.  
  
---"Come on Quisty just light it alweady will ya?" Said one boy, his voice a tenor with a fake Texan accent attached to it. The girl sitting across from him, holding a stick of fireworks threw them down onto the ground.  
  
"You do it. Im not gonna get in twouble." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. Another boy, a blonde sat forward and grabbed the stick in his hands.  
  
"I'll do it." He said, taking a pack of matches from his pocket. Suddenly a high pitched squeal broke the silence of the beach, and another small blonde boy came running down stone steps.  
  
"Ooh..! Im gonna tell on yooo! You're gonna be in twouble!" He yelled as he pounded down the steps. The blonde boy with the fireworks stood up and advanced on the smaller boy.  
  
"No your not!" He yelled, raising his small fist to punch. The girl called Quisty stood up angrily and moved over to a dark haired boy who was sitting off by himself.  
  
"No you wont touch him cause Squally will beat you up wont yoo Squall?"---  
  
"….wrong, Squall? You allright?" Squall snapped out of his trance again with a start, noticing that the whole group was standing in front of him, their faces full of concern.  
  
"Yeah whats wrong? You keep blanking out like that." Quistis said, coming up to stand behind Zell. She crossed her arms over her chest the same defiant way she had done in the flashback, clearly expecting to be told the absolute truth to.  
  
"Im fine. Come on, we're expected at Galbadia Garden." He said, then started off ahead of them. Quistis glanced at the others, then nodded her head, motioning for them to stay behind a little as she ran to catch up with Squall.   
  
She walked beside him, then glanced back at the rest of the group trailing slightly behind them and winked to Rinoa.  
  
"Whats wrong Squall? I know there is something wrong with you." She said quietly. Squall continued to walk for a moment before answering softly.  
  
"Nothing." He said non chalantly. Quistis calmed her slowly rising anger, but quickened her pace a little and the volume of her voice rose notably.  
  
"Theres something wrong, now tell me Squall!" She said angrily, more angry at the sudden tears in her eyes then at Squall himself. He looked her sharply, concern showing in his normally bleak sea green eyes, and he stopped suddenly on the trail.  
  
"Are you okay, Instructor?" He asked, his voice full of genuine concern. She stared at him blankly for a moment, then continued walking.  
  
"Im fine. How do you think this next mission will go?" She said, accepting that neither of them wanted to talk about what they were experiencing.  
  
Squall didn't answer, but merely kept walking until Galbadia garden was finally in view…  
  
Authors Note: Another " . . . " :D Well hope you liked. I just played the Basketball scene again so I couldn't help bringing some childhood memories into play, even though I changed it somewhat. Well thanks for reading, and please review!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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